A janitor phone screen has one job: find out whether this person can work this shift at this site. Here are the questions to ask, the answers that end the screen, and what 1,956 real screens for evening cleaning jobs showed.
| # | Question | Ends the screen when |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Are you still interested in the [evening cleaning] job at [site]? | They say no |
| 2 | The shift is [Monday to Friday, 6 to 10pm]. Can you work that schedule? | They can't work the shift |
| 3 | The building is at [address]. Can you get there reliably for every shift? | No way to get to the site |
| 4 | The job pays [$X an hour], part-time. Does that work for you? | They decline |
| 5 | Have you done cleaning or janitorial work before? Tell me about it. | Only if the site needs experience |
| 6 | This job requires a background check after an offer. Are you okay with that? | They decline the check |
| 7 | Are you 18 or older? | They are under 18 |
| 8 | The job involves lifting up to 50 pounds. Can you do that, with or without accommodation? | They can't |
| 9 | When could you start? | Never ends it. It sorts who to call first |
Add when the site needs it: a flu shot for medical buildings, or a computer at home for onboarding quizzes.
Across 1,956 text screens at one Ohio commercial cleaning company (July to September 2026), 1,600 passed: 81.8%. The 356 who didn't pass, by reason:
| Reason | Share of fails |
|---|---|
| Schedule didn't fit | 35.7% |
| Background check | 21.1% |
| Declined after hearing the details | 18.5% |
| Not enough experience | 7.3% |
| No transportation to the site | 6.2% |
| Other | 11.2% |
Two things follow. Ask about the shift first, because it is the top reason a screen ends. And state the pay and the address early: of the 66 people who declined after hearing the details, 46 named pay or the commute. Full numbers are in the study.
By text, the median screen ran 4.7 minutes, and a quarter finished in under 3. Six in ten started outside weekday office hours, when nobody was at a desk to make a call.
TextWorkHi Dana, this is [Company]. Thanks for applying to the evening cleaning job at [site]. Got a few minutes for some quick questions?
DanaSure
TextWorkThe shift is Monday to Friday, 6 to 10pm. Can you work that schedule?
DanaYes, I get off my other job at 4
TextWorkGreat. The building is at [address]. Can you get there reliably for every shift?
DanaYes, I have a car
TextWorkGood. The job pays [$X an hour], part-time. Does that work for you?
Nine or fewer. In 1,066 completed text screens, the typical applicant sent 9 messages and answered each question in 18 seconds.
You can say a check is required and ask if they're okay with it. Rules on asking about criminal history before an offer vary by state and city, so check yours.
Text gets answered. In the same study, 4 in 5 applicants replied to the first text.
Something missing? Email [email protected].
